2017 Meet the Researcher Showcase

Over 150 pupils and their teachers from schools in Aberdeenshire, Edinburgh, Dumfriesshire, Dundee, Fife, Glasgow, Lanarkshire and Perthshire were inspired with a fresh sense of ambition after Dundee and Glasgow Science Centres hosted events highlighting the diverse range of opportunities in medical research today.

Malaria, osteoporosis, cancer, lung and kidney disease were just some of the areas of pioneering medical research carried out in Scotland highlighted by the ‘2017 Meet the Researcher Showcase’, staged at Dundee Science Centre for the second time and, for the first time, at Glasgow Science Centre.

The event was the latest in the ‘Meet the Researcher Showcase’ series, delivered by Medical Research Scotland, with the aim of informing and enthusing senior school pupils about medical research and the wide range of careers open to them.

Diverse career opportunities

Faidon Kyriakos advises the pupils to seize the moment!

Over the two events, pupils and teachers enjoyed careers talks from Professor David Harrison, John Reid Chair of Pathology, University of St Andrews; Dr Morag McFarlane, CEO Tissue Solutions Ltd; Dr Chris Carter, Senior Lecturer, University of Strathclyde; and Dr Lynsey Howard, Lead Scientist, Lamellar Biomedical Ltd.

“Careers in medical research are very different now compared to how they used to be,” explained Professor Harrison. “But there are so many jobs and new disciplines coming into play that really the opportunities are boundless. “It doesn’t matter what you first degree is – mathematics, science, biology, medicine – all of these are incredibly necessary for medical research today. “Almost irrespective of what subject you do there’s probably a place for you in medical research.”

A different route to an industry career

There is a refreshing feel to medical research today, exemplified by Dr Lynsey Howard in her “From lab book to patient” talk, which explained the varied and interesting route that led her to her current role in the industry sector of biomedical science.

“For too long we have thought that picking a degree sets your one particular career path, but that’s not true,” she said. “There’s a lot of flexibility and a lot of opportunity for young people to study biomedical sciences. “In a time when we are living longer and will have more complicated health care problems we need new and innovative ideas to make sure we look after our population as a whole and Medical Research Scotland helps us support those activities. “I’d like students to be positive and optimistic about a career in biosciences and biomedical sciences and know that they don’t have to go the traditional route to access those careers.”

Meet the researcher

The event also demonstrated Medical Research Scotland’s commitment to supporting the scientists it funds, who are at the earliest stages of establishing their careers, and promoting collaborative work between academia and industry.

Pupils had the opportunity to meet a group of 21 Medical Research Scotland-funded undergraduate and postgraduate researchers and their supervisors from universities across Scotland and find out more about their fascinating work.

Andrew Clelland encourages pupils to go for it.

A great day for the pupils.

The research topics on show ranged from how exercise affects the body clock, whether deep sea bacteria can fight cancer and the potential of fatty acids as a treatment for spinal cord injury.

To view the posters presented by the Medical Research Scotland awardees , click on their photos below.